As Iraq’s religious minorities face a humanitarian crisis, their advocates in Washington say the Obama administration must provide a blueprint for relief, protection and resettlement.

A displaced Iraqi Christian displays a tattoo of Christ on the cross in late June at St. Joseph’s Church in Erbil, Iraq.

– Spencer Platt/Getty Images

WASHINGTON — Over the past weekend, jihadist fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria — known as ISIS, ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) and most recently as IS (Islamic State) — fresh from their brutal expulsion of Christians from Mosul, swept into several northern Iraqi towns, including two with a large community of Yazidis, another religious minority with ancient roots.

Before the close of the weekend, an estimated 200,000 Yazidis had left their homes in Sinjar for the mountains with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and a smaller group of Christians were also on the move, victims of the militants’ policy of religious cleansing.

TheWashingtonPost has since reported that tens of thousands of Yazidis are stranded on top of Mount Sinjar, and a Yazidi member of the Iraqi parliament alerted followers on Twitter that the harsh conditions resulted in the deaths of 70 children.

Meanwhile, IS successfully pushed back Kurdish security forces, which sought to defend one of the region’s largest dams, raising fears that IS could not only punish more religious minorities by shutting off power — a tactic it has used before — but possibly flood whole towns in northern Iraq.

The Islamic State’s rapid advance over the weekend fueled anxiety that Kurdistan, which is now harboring an estimated 1 million displaced Iraqi Christians and has thus far maintained secure borders, could also fall victim to the IS juggernaut.

On Capitol Hill, the latest news underscored the urgent need for a Washington-led strategy that could work out a regional plan for relief, protection and resettlement of displaced Iraqis. But the White House’s silence on the issue and the problems posed by its parallel effort to establish a multisectarian “unity” government that can bring together Iraq’s Sunni and Shiite communities, as well as religious minorities, have hampered efforts to respond to the crisis.

“We are facing real genocide, but all the world has been silent, especially what we call the ‘First World,’” said Syriac Catholic Bishop Barnaba Yousif Habash, based in New Jersey, who has written President Barack Obama and visited both the State Department and Capitol Hill, pleading for U.S. action.

Now, Bishop Habash said during an Aug. 5 interview with the Register, “I don’t trust anyone in the American administration. I don’t have any expectations that they will help.”

However, shortly after Bishop Habash offered his bitter response to the president’s policy, Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, issued a statement that condemned the Islamic State’s latest actions and insisted that the administration was committed to helping “the Iraqi Security Forces and [Kurdish] Peshmerga Forces working to defend these areas against ISIL.”

Stated Power, “We urge all parties to the conflict to allow safe access to the United Nations and its partners so they can deliver lifesaving humanitarian assistance.”

She said the administration has not abandoned the Iraqi people and urged their leaders to “move swiftly to form a new, fully inclusive government that takes into account the rights, aspirations and legitimate concerns of all of Iraq’s communities.”

‘We Must Act’

Yet, over the summer, as ISIS gained territory in Syria and Iraq — and now, over the weekend, in Lebanon — Power and other members of the Obama administration have been criticized for failing to respond to warnings of the militants’ growing strength and extremist ideology.

“Will we act before every Christian in Iraq is exterminated or turned into a refugee? The president’s indifference is both numbing and enabling,” Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., told the Register. “We must act.”

Neither President Obama nor Secretary of State John Kerry has specifically addressed the plight of Iraqi Christians. However, the White House hosted a meeting of Iraqi Christians last week, and Speaker of the House John Boehner organized a similar gathering, which included 10 House members and church-affiliated aid groups like Catholic Relief Services (CRS), which is already providing assistance in Iraq.

U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., a leading advocate for religious freedom in the House, was at the meeting called by Boehner, and he confirmed during an interview with the Register that the White House still has not outlined a comprehensive strategy for assisting and protecting the displaced Iraqis.

“The administration has done nothing … even after the news that the Kurds fell back for the first time,” said Wolf.

On Aug. 4, Wolf released an open letter to President Obama that outlined action items that could make the issue a U.S. foreign-policy priority.

He asked Obama to sign bipartisan legislation that “creates a special envoy to promote religious freedom in the Middle East that has been sitting on your desk for the last week.” And the congressman called for the appointment of “a senior official in your administration to be the lead person coordinating all of the U.S. government resources necessary to stop this genocide.”

Humanitarian Assistance

Wolf’s letter echoed a key goal of Church-affiliated aid groups: provide U.S. humanitarian assistance through “trusted NGOs — like Catholic Relief Services ... who are already on the ground trying to help but need U.S. assistance and leadership to reach more people.”

In his letter, Wolf said the president should “direct the secretary of state and USAID administrator to reprogram existing funds to provide these resources to trusted NGOs on the ground,” a demand that reflected frustration with the Iraqi government’s failure to effectively funnel U.S. aid to displaced people through non-governmental organizations.

William O’Keefe, senior director of advocacy for Catholic Relief Services, who joined the meeting organized by Speaker Boehner, told the Register that his organization has directly funded emergency relief and is also working closely with USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development) and other U.S. agencies.

“CRS has committed about $1 million of our own funds through September, and another $1 million for the following 12 months, to make sure the basics are covered,” he said. “Our partner is Caritas Iraq. We are providing food, water and a basic household kit, which includes cooking and hygiene supplies. That is for immediate needs.”

He said CRS sought to expand its outreach to an estimated 1.2 displaced Iraqis and was “in discussions with U.S. government donors [to develop] a short-term and medium- and long-term response.”

However, O’Keefe said that “overall U.S. government coordination” of humanitarian outreach “needs higher level attention. The president should be talking about what is going on there and put in place a regional strategy.”

“You can see why people are frustrated,” he added. Events on the ground are “very fast-moving: An estimated 200,000 people were displaced over the weekend, and 650,000 fled Mosul around June 9, when ISIS took the city.”

Policy Paralysis?

Nina Shea, director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom, who participated in the House meeting, emphasized the need for leadership from the White House.

Part of the problem, Shea and others suggested, is that the Obama administration is wary of providing the level of protection the Kurds might now require to bolster their borders and resist future incursions by IS militants. Indeed, the president has already signaled that he wants to delay any substantive action regarding Iraqi until a new unity government is formed in Baghdad, and the timeline for that is unclear.

“They are waiting for Iraq to have a unity government to select a new prime minister,” said Shea. “We are paralyzed.”

As IS secures additional territory, the likelihood that Iraqi Christians will be able to remain in their homeland continues to fade.

Shea recalled that the Boehner meeting included a wide-ranging discussion of possible locations where displaced Christians could be resettled in Iraq or Kurdistan and a review of the services needed to smooth that hard-going transition. But the discussion left some participants raising questions about the feasibility of carrying out such a plan.

Thus, Shea expressed her fear that it might “be over for religious minorities in Iraq.”

“The Church wants the Iraqi Christians to stay, but they will need to be propped up with a new infrastructure, jobs and government services,” she said. “It is not clear that any of that will exist in Kurdistan or Basra, in southern Iraq.”

She noted, however, that the “consensus among the members of Congress was that the U.S. should offer asylum, like France has done.”

With IS amassing power, Shea noted that the ongoing protection of Iraq’s vulnerable minority groups — those forced from their neighborhoods and those still in their homes — is a major concern. She proposed that the U.S., with its superior intelligence capabilities, should provide an “early warning system” that would alert Christians and others when IS militants pose an immediate threat.

Thomas Farr, the director of the Religious Freedom Project at Georgetown University, went a step further than Shea and called for the White House to "propose an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in order to consider a resolution, to be offered by the U.S., authorizing the use of force in Iraq and Syria to mitigate the humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place and to prevent genocide."

Calls for U.S. Military Assistance

Bishop Habash, who also expressed doubts that displaced Christians would choose to stay in their homeland — given the trauma inflicted by IS and the unlikely possibility that they will be able to return to their homes — said he has heard from Christians who believe the U.S. military should provide backup support to help the Kurds repel the militants.

Edward Clancy, the director of evangelization for Aid to the Church in Need, which has joined with Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako of Baghdad to call for Aug. 6 to be World Day of Prayer for Peace in Iraq, said his organization, which has focused on developing a secure water supply for displaced Christians, would take no position on the issue of military assistance.

“The Church’s view is that war and military intervention would be a last resort,” said Clancy.

CRS’ William O’Keefe said his Church-affiliated agency, as a humanitarian organization, would not associate itself with calls for U.S. military involvement.

But O’Keefe emphasized that the Kurds have been “generous with Christians. They have provided safe harbor, protection and security on the Nineveh Plain — in an area outside of Kurdistan that is not controlled by ISIS.”

“How long that hospitality will last, I won’t speculate,” he said, “but it has been extremely important to the Christian community.”

Will Washington act quickly enough to keep Kurdistan, and the displaced Christians it has welcomed, safe from ISIS?

In an Aug. 6 article posted on TheNewYorker website, George Packer said he had just learned that the administration had begun providing military assistance to the Kurds.

Packer's sources told him that "the U.S. is, in fact, sending arms to the Kurds — just not openly." Reportedly, the "U.S. Joint Operation Center in Erbil is helping peshmerga ground troops and the Iraqi air force to coordinate attacks on ISIS, providing intelligence from the sky."

Packer applauded the news, but expressed regret that "the weapons didn’t reach the peshmerga in time to defend" the militants' latest victims.

The news of a U.S. policy change on military assistance, if confirmed, will hearten advocates for Iraqi Christians, like Joseph Kassab, founder and president of the Iraqi Christians Advocacy and Empowerment Institute, who have been deeply dismayed by the administration's inaction.

Today, Kassab was pleased to receive an invitation to a Sept. 7 Emergency Summit on the Crisis in the Middle East in Washington, organized by the White House.

“I think the meeting will touch on four areas — Gaza, Egypt, Syria and Iraq," said Kassab, who noted that Susan Rice, Obama’s national security adviser, will give the keynote address.

Kassab plans to attend the summit and said he will use the opportunity to “raise awareness of the plight of Christians in Iraq."

He will also endorse the need for U.S. military assistance.

“I am advocating for that to empower the Kurdish and Iraqi armies, to create a strong response force with equipment, training and intelligence,” said Kassab, “capable of fighting back.”

Check out internet articles that describe the phenomenon of the cultural (and legal) changes that are taking place, even now, as we speak.

Of course, as these countries quit trying to be Christian, then the non-Muslim populations will just normally assimilate into being Muslim because there won’t be any Christians left.

Won’t be any need to convert by the sword to Islam.

Posted by Estelle on Friday, Aug 22, 2014 9:40 PM (EDT):

USA Now Headless !

Obama seems to think we’re on the cutting edge of history. Does he have in mind the predicted beheadings (Rev. 20:4) that are increasing? Obama may feel he’d never be targeted by ISIS. But isn’t he afraid they’ll soon conclude he doesn’t have a good head on his shoulders? (For more on you-know-who, Google “The Background Obama Can’t Cover Up.”)

Posted by Tucson on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2014 1:00 PM (EDT):

Found this: an interesting source of local information on the conflict with ISIS and related issues:

Divers frequently scuba dove to the wreck and took pictures and recovered artifacts.

The name of the ocean liner is the Andrea Doria.

The Italian Line had built two flag ships: The Cristoforo Colombo and the Andrea Doria.

We all know who the Cristoforo Colombo was named after.

But, who was “Andrea Doria”.

Growing up, I thought “she” was an opera singer, or something like that.

But Cristoforo Colombo was a famous explorer and navigator.

So, why would the Italian Line name a famous ocean liner after a mere opera singer?

Well, it turns out that Andrea Doria was a famous admiral.

If you look up the name ten times you will get ten different explanations.

But it turns out that Andrea Doria was part of the famous Battle of Lepanto ... it was the only time that the Christians were able to get organized and unify themselves.

So, do some internet research ... the Cristoforo Colombo eventually was sold and disappeared.

But the name Andrea Doria will live forever ... preserved on the bottom of the ocean.

So look up Andrea Doria and the Battle of Lepanto ... it was the biggest naval battle in the history of the world.

And if you are Catholic, the victory of the Christian fleet saved your life ... and is celebrated in the churches named “Our Lady of Victory” and in the ship named after Andrea Doria.

Check it out.

Posted by Theresa H on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2014 10:33 AM (EDT):

While you at it, Tuscan: what about the “peaceful” USA Muslim population?

Posted by Tucson on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2014 9:38 PM (EDT):

The Muslims crossed into Spain from North Africa in AD711.

And in the year AD 1492, the Muslims were ejected from Spain and sent back to North Africa.

The Muslims were not killed or wiped out: they were ejected and sent packing.

In fact, Spain still has a tiny enclave in North Africa ... need to double check that.

And that map of the caliphate that appeared in Drudgereport.com this morning? It shows Spain as solidly part of the Muslim Caliphate.

Check it out.

Visit YouTube and look up “stoning”.

Check out Sharia Law, while you’re at it.

You sure you want to give up Christianity?

Posted by Ellen gaffney on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2014 1:55 PM (EDT):

Thank you, Tucson for mentioning the LEPANTO Battle - we are getting ongoing education from these posts. Was trying to recollect - was the Holy Father @ this time in History - asking everyone to pray the ROSARY? Our Blessed Mother is appearing all over the world, and asking us to PRAY!

Posted by Tucson on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2014 10:52 AM (EDT):

Well, the earl-ier Church put together some coalitions and fought several crusades, and battles at Lepanto for which the Church of Our Lady of Victory was named [didn’t know that?], as well as the Battle of Vienna and the Battle of Tours [just south of Paris].

Have you seen the map of the Caliphate? It was on Drudgereport.com this morning, but I think they took it down.

Posted by Tucson on Tuesday, Aug 19, 2014 10:40 AM (EDT):

They want us to accept passively the dystopianism that they have laid out for us.

The fact that “none of this is new” doesn’t change the suffering of the innocent and the sadness of those of us who can do nothing about it (whether politically, or otherwise), other than pray for those being persecuted and their persecutors.

Posted by Tucson on Friday, Aug 15, 2014 6:51 AM (EDT):

Consider Iran versus Iraq.

Shiite vs. Sunni

Geopolitics bites.

Read up.

None of this is new.

Posted by Theresa H on Thursday, Aug 14, 2014 11:57 AM (EDT):

It is terribly sad to see the oldest Christian Community in the world being attacked and decimated; at the same time, it keeps coming to my mind: “The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians.” God bless them and give them eternal rest in peace, in the Lord!

Posted by Tucson on Monday, Aug 11, 2014 4:42 PM (EDT):

Islam conquered the Holy Land around AD 638.

The First Crusade to the Holy Land was launched around the year AD 1096.

Posted by Ellen gaffney on Monday, Aug 11, 2014 12:19 PM (EDT):

Tom in AZ—Good thing that those Great Franciscans taught us that ONGOING EDUCATION was a must if we to keep up with the RELEVANT WORLD! Will have to admit that I went to the internet - to see who CEAUSESCU was, and understand where you were coming from!—Was very enlightening, and of special interest to me - as my SON spent TWO YEARS - near BUCHAREST - in the PEACE CORPS (after receiving his masters in Business)-after the FALL OF COMMUNISM. My son spent two Bitter Winters there trying to help these people - at their Business Center, and @ one point was treated for pneumonia (had a wood burning stove for hear) Talk about Post Traumatic stress syndrome coming back to America, my son gave up a 6 figure salary, and went to serve in the missions in Belize, and is now a missionary priest, and Procurator of the missionary order. Each one of us is LIMITED - but like in ROMANIA - me thinks that we are in the same situation here in America - and need to defend our country - against a tyrannical regime - at our doorstep.

Posted by Carlos Helms on Monday, Aug 11, 2014 11:19 AM (EDT):

LOL…let me assist: Romania.

Posted by Tom in AZ on Monday, Aug 11, 2014 2:54 AM (EDT):

@Ceci: To love your neighbor does not preclude calling your neighbor out for being Ceausescu Lite, complete with the unaccomplished frumpy wife being praised as an intellectual and a leader of fashion. (We will all wait while you look up “Ceausescu”.)

Posted by Carlos Helms on Sunday, Aug 10, 2014 11:26 PM (EDT):

Ceci: you are correct, ma’am. More bombs have been dropped, more sorties flown. I continue to believe, however, that the administration has provided at best a weak response to the barbaric activities of IS fighters in the Levant. Far too much hand-wringing while good people die.

Posted by Andrew on Sunday, Aug 10, 2014 1:56 PM (EDT):

Ellen gaffney, I understand your point but I do believe the Jewish people can do something to support the Christians. Perhaps humanitarian assistance. Many Jewish people condemn Ven. Pius Xll and Catholics in general for not coming to their assistance when they were being treated with grave injustice. The fact is that the Holy Father and Catholics did a great deal to help them, they condemn what we did not do and ignore what we did do. If we had a responsiblity before Christ then they have a responsibility also. A point is that if they do not come to the assistance of the Christians then they should not complain about Ven. Pius Xll concerning their perceived errors on his part. It is they who are holding back his Canonization by their condemnations of him. The time has come for them to show how the defense of a peoples should be done, or take back all their complaints against the Saintly Ven. Pius Xll.

Posted by Ceci on Sunday, Aug 10, 2014 12:56 PM (EDT):

@Carlos looks like the air strikes are not just two or three bombs and humanitarian aid is being sent and dropped. President Obama stated yesterday that the aid and bombing will be long term but emphatically stated there would be no US Troops on the ground.

@Robert Waligora “the reptile in the whitehouse”. Seriously, from what I read here on your blogs you claim to be a devout Catholic with so much vile hatred for the President. I thought being a devout Catholic meant to love our neighbors.

Posted by Carlos Helms on Saturday, Aug 9, 2014 4:59 AM (EDT):

Airstrikes? Ceci, two bombs dropped on an artillery piece is to get people to look the other way. Hardly what I’d consider a statement of strength or support. I’m withholding judgment until he does something serious.

Posted by Ellen gaffney on Saturday, Aug 9, 2014 12:05 AM (EDT):

Andrew - “Where are our brother Jews” - they are holding on to their TURF! The Evil Regime wants to eliminate both the Christians - and our Jewish brethren. We are all LIMITED. C,S. Lewis (Screw tape Letters) pictured our present crisis - A BON FIRE HERE and A BON FIRE THERE - AND WHILE WE ARE CHASING AROUND ATTEMPTING TO PUT OUT ALL THE FIRES - THE ENEMY COMES IN FOR THE KILL. We need the assistance of the Holy Spirit @ the present time - interesting that the AMMO directed @ Israel (would have been catastrophic) ended up in the water - COINCIDENCE? - our Blessed Mother is appearing all over the world - asking us to PRAY!

Posted by Andrew on Friday, Aug 8, 2014 11:10 PM (EDT):

Ceci Castillo, We did not speak out too soon, we spoke out at the right time. We were concerned with the plight of our Brother Christians in Iraq. And the US Government has heard the concerns of the people. The US Government was careful in its wording in bombing ISIS. Note that Obama did not use the name Christian at all. He referred to other minorities which of course are the Christians in Iraq. Would he had said that we were coming to the assistance of Christians, that would have had the effect of unleashing the Muslim extremists of declaring and influencing the Muslim world that another Christian Crusade was being unleashed against the peaceful Muslims. The consequences would have then been the unleashing of a faster genocide of Christians on a larger scale. I am proud of our Government at this moment. I’m saddened at the response of Pope Francis who yesterday at the noon Angelus said that our Iraqi Catholic Brothers need to fend for themselves (not his exact words but was implied by him). If Christians would have been doing this to the Muslims, Pope Francis would have been condemning and excomunicating Catholics with a fury. How I wish the Pope would take just a few moments off his time to defend the flock entrusted to him.

Posted by Andrew on Friday, Aug 8, 2014 3:42 PM (EDT):

Where are our brother Jews? They live in that part of the world. Today they complain that Ven. Pius Xll and other Catholics did not speak out enough in their defense against the Nazis. Should they not now come to the aid of Christians who are suffering what they themselves suffered. If they do not speak out against this evil and come to the defense of Christians, then the Church should Canonize Ven Pius Xll now. They by their own words should now speak out and come to the defense of Christians, or be branded the same way they brand Catholics and Ven. Pius Xll.

Posted by Ceci Castillo on Friday, Aug 8, 2014 3:17 PM (EDT):

Well folks looks like you all spoke too soon. President Obama has ordered air strikes on ISIS at Mount Sinjar in Iraq and has been sending humanitarian aid to Iraqi victims of this horrible bloodshed. Of course due to security reasons President Obama wasn’t about to reveal his plans. I would imagine that something like this needed lots of thought and planning to keep from killing innocent Iraquis.

Posted by Ellen gaffney on Friday, Aug 8, 2014 11:24 AM (EDT):

What our world needs now is a sense of SOLITUDE - and a real sense of DISCERNMENT—we have been brainwashed by the SECULAR PRESS - and have Character assassinated GOOD MEN (Via the Secular Press)to the point of CONFUSION. The posts of both Lawrence Beaton, and Tom from AZ are worth thinking about, and evaluating our own values here in America. We have COMPROMIZED our values - going along with GREEDY CAPITALISM, as Tom mentioned, and we have CHARACTER ASSASSINATED GOOD MEN OF CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLE - VIA THE PRESS. Here in my state, we have CHARACHTER assassinated a GOOD BISHOP who has a DOCTORATE in BIOETHICS (all through the lies circulated - taken in by Christians who do not know their faith) Some years back, a non catholic lawyer here in my state was the legal assistant to our Governor(this lawyer had been in Military intelligence) This lawyer was a convert to the Catholic faith, and became a priest, and is now a Bishop. After ordination this priest gave a week end seminar for our parish; “CAN WE BE CATHOLIC AND AMERICAN” We need to know the Principles that our country was founded on - and we need to combat the LIES IN THE SECULAR PRESS.

Posted by robert waligora on Friday, Aug 8, 2014 7:55 AM (EDT):

the reptile in the whitehouse decided to act yesterday ONLY because his poll numbers are in the toilet….these terrorists have been murdering Christians for over a year, so now he must do something, but make no mistake he could care less about Christians!

Posted by Tom in AZ on Friday, Aug 8, 2014 2:23 AM (EDT):

@cminca: Russia’s “anti-gay” laws are piffling, especially considering what country we’re talking about. It mostly amounts to a ban on illegitimate propagandizing. As for Uganda’s, well, there is such a thing as “criminal negligence”, and they’re in the middle of a just barely-contained AIDS epidemic; it may be extreme to execute for it, but don’t let’s pretend conditions there are the same as in the developed world. (I don’t know, is visiting prostitutes punished the same, there? If it’s not, THEN you are allowed to complain of unfairness.) There’s been talk of making criminal negligence with nuclear facilities a capital crime; that’s the kind of death-toll sodomy in Africa represents.

Posted by Lawrence Beaton on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 8:48 PM (EDT):

It is not only Mr. Obama who has preferred to see Christianity destroyed in Iraq. Another First World country and leader who has done absolutely nothing to protect the Copic Christians is Canada and its leader Mr. Harper. The west has had a long history of being only interested in countries that can provide the capitalist countries with something that these rich countries want. Have a hard time understanding that: Check out Rwanda and Bosnia for further details.

Posted by Tom in AZ on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 7:15 PM (EDT):

@Archie Haase: Actually, what caused all this was that the Bush administration really MEANT it, entirely sincerely, when they said they wanted to bring self-determination to the Muslim world. Unfortunately, for much of the Muslim world, what their “selves” are “determined” to do is wipe out Christians—and without semi-secularist totalitarian strongmen like Saddam, Qaddafy, or Mubarak, putting a boot on their necks, that’s exactly what they DO.

Posted by Heandi on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 3:51 PM (EDT):

Just had the guts to watch the you tube video on the young christian man who was beheaded after he was forced to plead his faith to the Muslims religion or he would be shot to death. Why was this not in the secular news?

In their ignorance, Barrack Obama, David Cameron and other western leaders wanted to militarily support the rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, who is very tolerant of his Christian minority. The main body of rebels turned out to be the group of butchers now claiming to be the Islamic State. It would be embarrassing for these foolish leaders to now have to set about fighting the very people they wanted to support, and possibly paving the way for the survival of the Syrian regime they wanted to topple. But surely they are morally bound to do something to make up for the mess they made of Iraq. Or is it true to say that all Muslim societies, by virtue of their scriptural principle of violence, are doomed to be a bloody mess?

Posted by cminca on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 2:00 PM (EDT):

African countries and Russia write laws to persecute gays and the response on Catholic websites is “they are sovereign nations and can write the laws they want”.

A Muslim army starts persecuting Christians—and the suddenly all the comments on the same websites are screaming that the US has to swoop in and save the Christians.

What happened to sovereignty?

Nothing quite like a good Christian double standard.

Posted by JD on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 1:10 PM (EDT):

Archie Haase, you may want to crack open a history book. The struggle with Islam stretches back to its inception in the 7th century - long before the Bush administration. But, if you want to play the blame game, what about Bill Clinton? He was concentrating on getting himself out of hot water with Monica Lewinski while Al Qaeda planned 9/11. Maybe he should have been paying attention to his job instead of chasing women? At least Bush put some fear in their hearts and knocked them back on their heels. Because of Obama’s inaction they are emboldened and it will only get worse.

Regardless, Western Civilization is either going to wake up to the fact that we are in a titanic battle with the forces of evil (Islam) or we will surely fall. The root of the problem is that the majority of Western Civilization has abandoned Christianity for the pursuit of pleasure. Self indulegence is the order of the day. We are not living according to God’s laws. We have abandoned our morals and now God will use whatever is necessary to straighten us out - even Islam. Did God not use a pagan king to correct Israel during the Babylonian Exile?

Posted by Phil on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 1:07 PM (EDT):

Obama has not been silent! He issued a hashtagged, strongly-worded statement that will knock the jihadis’ socks off. And the screen image of State Dept spokeswoman Jen Psaki has made even Putin quail.

So there.

Posted by Ceci Castillo on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 1:04 PM (EDT):

HMMMM!!!! Typical of many of the people on these boards to bash President Obama at every opportunity for the problems of the world but nobody bothers to mention the downright, dirty obstruction and refusal by the Republican party to work with the President to solve some of these problems. Why don’t you folks bash the Republicans for refusing to work with the President. Oh that’s right!! He’s an African American who should know his place in white society. Even white Catholics can’t see past his color. And of course you folks have it on good authority that the President is doing absolutely nothing for the Christians in the Middle East just because Fox News says so and he’s privately kicking back in the Oval Office.

Posted by John Mainhart on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 12:59 PM (EDT):

One of these days it will occur to Christians in our country that the more they support any program of this President the more they hasten the time when Obama can concentrate on eliminating the areas of the constitution that protect Christians in the United States and elsewhere.

Posted by Ellen gaffney on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 12:53 PM (EDT):

Noticed that Catholic Relief is SUSTAINING their basic needs - as always has been the case in times of need. having been a Military Nurse, I have been following this crisis, and through our present administration - having pulled out of the area - we have left those SOULS @ the mercy of the evil regime. With the Culmination of this Evil REGIME - Do we need another Parting of the Sea? We definitely need brave men of GOOD WILL to take action - this evil is rapidly taking over our country - and is at our door.

Posted by Gary on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 12:50 PM (EDT):

Besides Christians, the peace-loving Muslims have surrounded and are threatening the ancient Yazidi sect in northern Iraq.

Where are the Muslims that the rest of the world can work with to bring peace and commerce and work together for the true good of all?

Posted by Carlos Helms on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 12:47 PM (EDT):

Not to get too far off topic (the favorite distraction of Liberals is Bush), but the Iraq war was strategic genius, nothing more and nothing less. Nation-building was a disaster, but Roach Motel was brilliant.

Posted by John Mainhart on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 12:47 PM (EDT):

One of these days it is going to occur to Christians in the United States that anytime they support this Presi8dent they hasten the time when Obama can concentrate on eliminating the Christian culture in America.

Posted by William Colley on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 12:38 PM (EDT):

And yet there is the round-the-clock condemnation of Israel by fellow travelers in Western media and governments. It’s as if they approve of the cleansing in Iraq, Egypt and Africa.

Posted by Dryden01 on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 12:15 PM (EDT):

The American media is merely a lapdog of the Obama Administration and demonstrates a harrowing need for journalistic reform in order to return it from hypocrisy to a state of credible integrity and relevance. The progressive and globalist left feels it can use the media as a propaganda tool to advance its political and social agenda much as in the same way the Soviets used Tass and Iszvestia. The agenda does not include the preservation of religious moral influence unless it dovetails with their political ideology and serves as a way to subjugate the poor into welfare state control and profitable manipulation. Obama is an advocate of “leading from behind” which unfortunately translates into following from behind and a failure to viably react. It is an abandonment of global leadership and creates a vacuum for dictatorship and the children of the communist states to flourish and expand in. The more we see of the fruit of his policy leadership, the lower we see his public confidence level drop. The Christians in Iraq, however, will fall much sooner than President Obama will over the next 2 years. Their fate is of little concern to him as they are merely Christians and expendable. It is time to advocate to take away Obama’s senate control and put the nation back to work with jobs and a sound economy. That would necessitate the abandonment of his strategy that emphasizes the ploy of divide and conquer through class envy. Our voting has and will continue to have implications for Christians around the world, including within the U.S.A.

Posted by Patt on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 12:14 PM (EDT):

It should be obvious by now that Obama abhors Christians—-he will DO NOTHING to protect them. Also obvious is that he must work for the Satan. When the Democrats wanted to remove God from their platform—that was the first signal. All during his administration he has backed this up—-he is pro Islam, pro abortion and pro homosexuals. I cannot make it any clearer than that.

Posted by Andrew on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 11:54 AM (EDT):

The US Administration of Obama is a disgrace. This Nation in the past was swift to protect Muslims and Jews and now that it is Christians, the US fails them. Even more disgraceful is the Pope’s silence, with a mere press realease that he is concerned for the Christians. That is too little, equal to nothing, perhaps if he was not so busy making friends with the Muslims, Jews and Protestants he could show some concern for his own flock.

Posted by Carlos Helms on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 11:29 AM (EDT):

It would seem that surgical air strikes would be more efficient and less expensive. The Levant isn’t the property of IS, but the property of those who have resided there for thousands of years.I’m quite sure we have their permission. Think of it as an investment in OUR future. AMDG.

Posted by David Webb on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 11:26 AM (EDT):

Of course Obama does nothing since he is all for the elimination of Christians since he is a mussie anyway. His inaction on such atrocities shows his disdain for the true God of peace. Airstrikes and drones would go a long way without arming any other factions since he has already supplied the Syrian rebels and IS with enough weapons anyway. Maybe one day we will get a leader that actually cares about America and people everywhere and not their own pocketbook and power. doubt it. but for now obozo will fiddle while the Mideast Christians die and suffer. Time for the pope to call the Battle of Lepanto 2.0.

Posted by Archie Haase on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 11:25 AM (EDT):

Muslim extremists carry out 9/11 attacks in the US killing thousands. God fearing Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and neoconservative warmongers attack Iraq and Saddam, killing him whom has nothing to do with 9/11. The Department of Veteran Affairs is inundated with massive TBI PTSD claims from liberating Iraq from a guy having nothing to do with 9/11. Christians living in the religion are considered friends of the US are driven from their homes. Homes their families lived in for almost 2000 years are murdered by Muslim extremists because Christians are now enemies. Yea Obama is guilty, but the war plans staring all this and destruction of ancient Christian apostolic faiths were written by GW Bush and his family loving cohorts.

Posted by St Donatus on Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 10:55 AM (EDT):

I am shocked by what is going on over there but I am even more shocked at how disinterested the US and especially US Catholics are about this. Where are the outcries from our Bishops, the outcries from the Vatican? Yes, Pope Francis made a short comment about this genocide of Christians, but we need more than comments, we need action, we need a concerted effort at alarming the world. What ever happened to the Church Militant?

Yes, and the number of comments in here indicates that most Catholics here in the US could care less too. I am just outraged. Went on CNN and USA Today, not a word about the terrible things happening over in Iraq. Don’t want to say anything that will make President Obama’s lack of leadership on this issue look bad.

I can’t believe this. And when they come for us in the US, will we expect help. I hope not because nobody will be there for us. I am so shocked by

Posted by Ceci on Wednesday, Aug 6, 2014 9:53 PM (EDT):

Isn’t 5000 American lives lost in Iraq and Afhanistan enough for you people on these blogs??? The Middle East has been in constant turmoil over religion for thousands of years and will continue to be until both sides love their children more than they hate each other. I have friends who lost kids in Iraq and Afghanistan and for what???

Posted by Bob on Wednesday, Aug 6, 2014 5:57 PM (EDT):

The Feast of the Transfiguration is today commemorating the victory over Islam in Belgrade in 1457. As politically correct everyone seems to be, including the Vatican and, of course, this administration, the Christians must move, submit to Islam or become martyrs. The victories of the past ring hollow today.
What has happened to common decency and defending those who can’t defend themselves? What will it finally take - it appears that it may be a few oil fields, because the lives of a few Christians don’t seem to matter!

Posted by St Donatus on Wednesday, Aug 6, 2014 4:51 PM (EDT):

Wow, I am starting to wonder if Obama just hates Christians period. He has been doing everything he can to hurt Christians in the US and now oversees. He is allowing ISIS to take over Iraq which will raise oil prices in the long run.

Oh, I get it. If oil prices go up, we can then use middle east Christian blood to run our cars on.

I’m sorry but I have been watching this unfold for over a month and am totally shocked. I have never in my life seen such an inept President.

Posted by Leo on Wednesday, Aug 6, 2014 4:47 PM (EDT):

The mainstream media are largely silent on this terrible persecution.

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